Back at our October 12^th peace vigil at Shannon which was preceded by music and a Neutrality Hedge School organised by our friends from around Co. Clare, we saw two US Navy Hercules C-130's landing at Shannon Airport.

The first, with registration 16-5314, landed at about 12.50.

The second, 16-5159, landed just over an hour later at about 14.02.

As reported at the time, we asked the Gardai to inspect the C-130's. After much insistence by the inspector we spoke to that that the planes had permission to be at Shannon (which is a very different matter to them being compliant with national and international laws), they agreed to “investigate” the aircraft and to send us a written report.

Here's what we received from the inspector.

Today we received the sad news that our friend and comrade Margaretta D'Arcy has died. We will miss her unwavering and uncompromising commitment to peace and justice, and her determination to hold the authorities and politicians to account for their complicity in war.

Margaretta was 91 years of age and has been campaigning for peace and justice for most of her very long and productive life. In addition to her passion and dedication to peace and justice, she was a member of Aosdána: Here's what it says about her on their website: 

There were four aircraft associated with US military at Shannon airport this morning, Nov 23rd, being protected (not very successfully) by Gardai, Irish Defence Forces armed patrol, and airport security police. 

US Navy Boeing C-40A number 16-8980 landed at Shannon on Friday 21 Nov about 23.00. coming from Portsmouth, New Hampshire (PSM). It spent the overnight at Shannon on 21 and 22 Nov and took off about 09.20 on 23 Nov heading towards the Middle East via Athens.

A US Air Force Boeing C-40B also known as US Air Force 2, number 01-0040, landed at Shannon about 01.25, coming from Tampa Florida. It had the call sign SAM118. It took off about 03.05 and has since landed at Doha UAE.

On October 19th we had two US war planes at Shannon.

US Navy Hercules C130 number 16-5314 had to return to Shannon on 16 Oct due to a faulty engine. This was one of the planes we brought to the attention of Gardai on Oct 12th asking them to inspect it. 

At the peace gathering in Shannon on October 12th the Gardai were asked to search three different US military planes that had landed at the airport. 

Photographs taken today (Oct 11th) at Shannon Airport show US soldiers looking like they are in a US military base.

This is the stark reality of how our airport is being used to support US warfare around the world. And its not a once-off; its an almost daily occurrance despite our governent claiming that we are neutral.

This list has been compiled by Shannonwatch based on our records of landings by US military and military contracted flights at Shannon Airport. It covers the period August 1st to December 31st 2024.

This is not an exhaustive list of all the US military related planes that came through Shannon in this period. However it does show the extent to which the airport is facilitating US military operations abroad.

All the flights listed are either US military or US military contracted flights.

Photo shows US military Hercules aircraft at Shannon on a previous occasion.

This week a Parliamentary Question was submitted to Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence Simon Harris by Mairead Farrell TD in relation to five US Air Force planes at Shannon. In his response he once again refuses to tell the truth about these aircraft, and ignores the contradictions in the standard departmental reply.

At the national gathering in Shanon on August 9th, the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign and Shannonwatch presented a letter for the Garda Commissioner to the Superintendent in charge. The demands were to investigate airlines illegally transporting munitions of war through Irish territory to Israel, and to inspect all US military and military contracted aircraft that land at Shannon. 

Any support for the US military is support for the genocide in Gaza. So it's time this support was ended. But in the meantime the planes cannot pass through uninspected.

Here is the full text of the letter.

There were at least 5 US warplanes at Shannon on Friday 25th July 2025 ...

Omni Air N819AX landed at about 22.49 on Thursday night coming from Kuwait with stops also at Poznan Poland and Nuremberg in Germany. It took off again about 02.48 on Friday morning and flew on to Texas. 

Omni Air N828AX landed at about 07.00 coming from Baltimore MD. It took off again about 11.05 and flew on to Sofia in Bulgaria. From there it went on towards the Middle East. 

National Air N828CA landed at about 12.12 coming from Alexandria in Louisiana.